1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to golf balls and more particularly to golf balls having single-layer and dual-layer cores. The golf ball includes a cover that may be single or multi-layered. In one version, the single-layer core has a positive hardness gradient. In another version, the dual-layer core has an inner core with a positive hardness gradient and a surrounding outer core layer with a zero, positive, or negative gradient. Preferably, the cores are made of a rubber composition comprising cylcoalkene (polyalkenamer) rubber and more preferably polyoctenamer rubber.
2. Brief Review of the Related Art
Numerous golf balls having a multi-layer construction, wherein the core hardness and cover hardness have been variously improved, are disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,987,159 to Iwami discloses a solid golf ball with a solid core and a polyurethane cover, wherein the difference in Shore D hardness between a center portion and a surface portion of the solid core is at least 15, the polyurethane cover has a thickness (t) of not more than 1.0 mm and is formed from a cured urethane composition having a Shore D hardness (D) of from 35 to 60, and a product of t and D ranges from 10 to 45.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,542 to Watanabe et al. discloses a multi-piece solid golf ball composed of a multilayer core having at least an inner core layer and an outer core layer, one or more cover layers which enclose the core, and numerous dimples formed on a surface of the cover layer. The golf ball is characterized in that the following hardness conditions are satisfied: (1) (JIS-C hardness of cover)−(JIS-C hardness at center of core)≧27, (2) 23≦(JIS-C hardness at surface of core)−(JIS-C hardness at center of core)≦40, and (3) 0.50≦[(deflection amount of entire core)/(deflection amount of inner core layer)]≦0.75.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,791 to Watanabe discloses a multi-piece golf ball which includes a rubbery elastic core, a cover having a plurality of dimples on the surface thereof, and at least one intermediate layer between the core and the cover. The intermediate layer is composed of a resin material which is harder than the cover. The elastic core has a hardness which gradually increases radially outward from the center to the surface thereof. The center and surface of the elastic core have a hardness difference of at least 18 JIS-C hardness units.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,707 to Yamagishi et al. discloses a three-piece solid golf ball consisting of a solid core, an intermediate layer, and a cover, wherein the hardness is measured by a JIS-C scale hardness meter, the core center hardness is up to 75 degrees, the core surface hardness is up to 85 degrees, the core surface hardness is higher than the core center hardness by 8 to 20 degrees, the intermediate layer hardness is higher than the core surface hardness by at least 5 degrees, and the cover hardness is lower than the intermediate layer hardness by at least 5 degrees. Additional examples can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,686,436 to Iwami, U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,836 to Higuchi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,153,224 to Higuchi et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 7,226,367 to Higuchi et al.
The golf ball industry is constantly looking to develop compositions that can be used in multi-piece golf balls. For example, Kim et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,528,196 and U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2009/0191981 disclose a golf ball comprising a core, cover layer, and optionally one or more inner cover layers, wherein at least one portion of the ball comprises a blend of a polyalkenamer and polyamide. The polyalkenamer/polyamide composition contains about 2 to about 90 weight % of a polyalkenamer polymer and about 10 to about 98 weight % of a polyamide. The '196 patent and '981 Published Application further disclose that the polyalkenamer/polyamide composition may be blended with other polymers including polybutadiene, polyisoprene, polychloroprene, polybutylene, and styrene-butadiene rubber prior to molding. However, neither the '196 patent nor '981 Published Application discloses a dual-core having an inner core and surrounding outer core layer, wherein the inner core has a positive hardness gradient, and the outer core layer has a zero; negative; or positive hardness gradient and the inner core and/or outer core is made of a polyalkenamer rubber composition.
In Voorheis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,940, a golf ball having a core, an intermediate layer, and a cover is disclosed. The core is formed from a composition containing an elastomeric polymer, free-radical initiator, and at least one stable free-radical. The stable free-radical increases the scorch time (time between start of reaction and onset of cross-linking) of the elastomeric polymer. The '940 patent discloses numerous materials that can be used to form the intermediate layer, which is distinguishable from the core, including natural rubbers; balata; gutta-percha; cis-polybutadienes; trans-polybutadienes; synthetic polyisoprenes; polyoctenamers; polypropylene resins; ionomer resins; polyamides; polyesters; urethanes; polyureas; chlorinated polyethylenes; polysulfide rubbers; and fluorocarbons.
In Sullivan et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,783,468, 7,041,009, 7,044,864, 7,118,495, and 7,125,345, a golf ball having a low compression and high coefficient of restitution (COR) layer supported and reinforced by a low deformation layer is disclosed. The preferred polymeric composition for the high COR layer is a base rubber compound, a co-reaction agent, a halogenated organosulfur compound, and a co-cross-linking or initiator agent. The low deformation layer may be made of rigid plastics or polymers reinforced with high strength organic or inorganic fillers or fibers. In one embodiment, the golf ball comprises an innermost core, an outer core, and a cover. The inner core comprises a low deformation material and the outer core comprises a rubber composition. The patents disclose that natural rubbers, including cis-polyisoprene, trans-polyisoprene or balata, synthetic rubbers including 1,2-polybutadiene, cis-polybutadiene, trans-polybutadiene, polychloroprene, poly(norbornene), polyoctenamer and polypentenamer may be used for the outer core. However, there is no disclosure of forming a dual-core, wherein the inner core has a positive hardness gradient and the outer core layer has a zero; negative; or positive hardness gradient, and the inner core and/or outer core is made of a polyalkenamer rubber composition.
In addition, Llort, U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,141 describes a balata-covered golf ball, where up to 40% of the balata used to form the cover has been replaced with polyoctenylene rubber. The golf ball contains a core and a cover wherein the cover is formed from a composition comprising about 97 to about 60 parts balata and about 3 to about 40 parts by weight polyoctenylene rubber based on 100 parts by weight polymer in the composition. The '141 patent discloses that using more than about 40 parts by weight of polyoctenylene produces deleterious effects.
One objective of the present invention is to develop compositions that can be used to make a core for a golf ball, wherein the core provides the ball with high resiliency along with a comfortable and soft “feel.” The present invention provides golf ball core compositions having such properties as well as other advantageous characteristics, features, and benefits.